3 Months Post Tummy Tuck: Now 5 Weeks Pregnant - is There Any Risk Involved?

I agree with previous posts:  there is no reason to terminate your pregnancy following a tummy tuck. 

I know of no risk to you or the child by carrying your pregnancy to term following a tummy tuck.  While your cosmetic result may be compromised by this pregnancy, and you may desire a revision after the birth of your child, there is no reason to terminate your pregnancy.

Additionally, I recommend that you wait at least 9-12 months following the birth of your child before considering a revision tummy tuck.  This will allow your uterus and skin to contract as much as possible, ensuring the best results possible post tummy tuck revision.

Jaime Perez, M.D.

Tummy Tuck Specialist in Tampa, Florida

Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa, Florida

The only risks associated with your unexpected pregnancy are with the medications you took (e.g. painkillers), if you took them for a longer period of time after your surgery, and this time overlapped with the time you were pregnant. I would recommend you talk to your surgeon as your OBGYN suggested. 

Your prior tummy tuck should not affect your pregnancy and not pose significant additional risks. In other words this should not be a reason to terminate a desired pregnancy.

There are no contraindications for pregnancy after a tummy tuck. With your pregnancy, your abdomen will stretch as before without harm to your baby. With any pregnancy the abdominal muscles will stretch, skin will stretch, and there may be new stretch marks. You might need to have another tummy tuck afterwards.

Most plastic surgeons would agree that pregnancy following tummy tuck does not pose any medical risk to you or your baby, and at three months post-op your abdomen should be completely healed.  As you mentioned, there will be some degree of cosmetic change to your abdomen, though the extent cannot be predicted in advance.  You should definitely pursue this further with your plastic surgeon, and have your surgeon clarify whether the recommendation to terminate the pregnancy is based on medical risk or a potential cosmetic issue.  If it is based on medical risk, it would be reasonable to ask your surgeon for references supporting the recommendation, which you could then review with your physicians.  This should help you to make an informed decision.

Best of luck.

My response to your question/post does not represent formal medical advice or constitute a doctor patient relationship. You should continue to follow-up with your plastic surgeon in order to receive formal evaluations and maintain your doctor patient relationship.

Of course we would want all patients to be completely done with their pregnancies before undergoing a tummy tuck.

Most experienced plastic surgeons have had patients who had uneventful pregnancies.  Sometimes work must be redone, sometimes not.

I cannot imagine recommending terminating a pregnancy on that basis.

There are however many unanswered questions.  Does a tight abdomen predispose to problems with pregnancy?  I don't have the answers to that.

In any event, good luck and hopefully you will have a happy healthy child!

 

Thank you for your post. You certainly can have a baby after tummy tuck. In a tummy tuck, we are putting your body back together similiar to what you were like before you were pregnant. Your muscle tension, your skin and your fat contours are adjusted. Once you are fully healed from your surgery, your body is just as able to accept a pregnancy as it was before your first pregnancy. However, if your belly area stretched after your first pregnancy, then you are likely to stretch again after your next pregnancy. Most surgeons recommend to have a tummy tuck after you are finished having childern, however, in certain instances, such as starting to date again, or just not being happy with your post pregnancy body, then it makes sense to go ahead and have a tummy tuck. Just realize that you may need a revision later on.Best Wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

Thank you for your question.

Generally, patients are able to have normal pregnancies after tummy tuck surgery. However, I have heard anecdotally (recently) from patients and OB/GYN physicians that the abdominal wall can be very tight and that some OB/GYN's recommend earlier delivery if possible. Check with your own OB/GYN for his/her experience in this situation.

Best Wishes.

I just want to reiterate what many surgeons have already stated- that terminating your pregnancy for that reason is ridiculous! Yes, you will likely re stretch the skin and need another tummy tuck.   There is no risk to your pregnancy whatsoever! The muscles and skin all stretch as they did the first time you became pregnant.  Good luck!

There is not a risk to the pregnancy because of the tummy tuck. However, the subsequent pregnancy will adversely effect the cosmetic result from the procedure.